Voting, campaigns, and elections Chapter 5

Learning Objectives Explain why voting is important to a democratic society. Discuss types of campaign resources, efforts to restrict the power of money in campaigns and the issue of negative campaigning. Describe the types of public elections held in Texas. Describe voting trends in Texas during the last two decades and explain the significance.

Democratic Government Most basic element—the people voting for elected representatives Ideal—candidates debate policy; voters decide based on that debate “Bad” democracies - candidates debate trivia, pay attention to special interests. Discussion: Is Texas close to or far from the democratic ideal of campaigns and elections?

Why Vote? Civic duty Voters elect candidates Despite the fact one vote rarely matters Voters elect candidates Voting decreases alienation Voting affects public policy Voting helps prevent corruption

Suffrage At time of U.S. Constitution, suffrage determined by states 14th and 15th Amendments: to give political rights to former slaves 19th Amendment—women could vote 26th Amendment—lowered age to 18

Registration Rules established to distinguish qualified voters from ineligible Former Confederate states enacted laws to limit registration and voting Literacy tests, etc. 24th Amendment outlawed poll tax

Registration Suffrage “nationalized” Voting Rights Act Texas’s stringent election laws struck down by Supreme Court Legislature passed new regulations

Anti-Fraud or Anti-Democrat Voter ID laws proposed in several sessions Passed in 2011 Discussion: how might voter ID bills be intended to weaken the Democratic Party in Texas?

Texas Voter Registration Law Be a U.S. citizen and 18 by election day Resident of state and county for 30 days prior to election Not be a convicted felon, or if convicted, have finished one’s sentence Initially, voter can register in person or by mail Registration permanent as long as voter qualified Voters can register at any time, and vote if registered at least 30 days prior to the election

Texas Turnout Proportion of adult citizens who vote Texas turnout generally lower than national average Even lower for state, local offices Discussion: why do local offices receive such low voter turnout?

Table 5-1 Percentage of Voting-Age Population Voting in National Elections, 1972–2010

Why don’t Texans vote? Texas is a poor state 17%+ in poverty poor and less educated tend not to vote Minorities tend to vote at lower rates than Anglos Political Culture Discussion: how does Texas’s political culture contribute to low voter turnout?

Table 5-2 Self-Reported Voter Turnout, 2004, 2006, 2008

The Consequences of Nonvoting Anglos tend to determine Election results Policy—since Anglos generally more conservative, policy more conservative Discussion: how does this impact the party realignment theory in Chapter 4? Discussion: how does this impact education and health policy?

Participation is Easy Student voting turnout generally low Request a registration form from the Texas Secretary of State’s office http://www.sos.state.tx.us Polling places generally listed in newspapers before election day

Table 5-3 White and African-American Public Opinion, 2009–2010

Table 5-4 Anglo and Hispanic Public Opinion, 2009–2010

Election Campaign Resources People—professionals and volunteers Money Financial share = vote share U.S. does not have publicly funded campaigns, except at presidential level

Table 5-5 Television Advertising Costs In Selected Texas Cities, 2011

Where Does the Money Come From? Most from wealthy donors representing a special interest Skews public policy Many retired politicians favor public funding Discussion: should Texas have publicly funded campaigns?

Regulation of Campaign Finance 1971—Revenue Act (federal) 1972—Federal Election Campaign Act (federal) 1973—Texas Campaign Reporting and Disclosure Act No enforcement provision

Regulation of Campaign Finance 1991 Texas Ethics Law Created Ethics Commission Still no limits on campaign contributions Hard vs. Soft $ 1976: Buckley v. Valeo Made some of its limits, as well as limits on Texas’s 1973 law, unconstitutional

Cartoonist Ben Sargent points out that there is more than one way to corrupt democratic government. Courtesy of Ben Sargent.

Negative Campaigning Corrosive effect on democracy Elections affected by inaccurate or irrelevant charges Limits discussion on public policy Dissuades candidates—may choose not to run to avoid being a target Disheartens citizens—may choose not to vote

Public Elections Primaries—nominate party candidates for general election 2nd Tuesday in March in even-numbered years Political parties that received more than 20% of vote in most recent governor’s election must participate Candidates must win by majority vote

Types of Primary Elections Blanket Primary Open Primary Closed Primary In Texas, voters may participate in either primary Once you have voted, you can only participate in that party’s runoff election and convention

Primary Elections In non-presidential years, Texas may hold primary in May Primary elections administered by the parties in cooperation with county officials Primary expense paid for by filing fees and the state

General Elections Held in Nov. of even-numbered years on the Tuesday after the first Monday Governors elected in “off year” Responsibility of state Secretary of State—main election officer Counties – handle election process

Ballots Primary winners automatically on ballot Independent candidates, new parties Must present petitions with signatures of qualified voters Discussion: should it be easier to get on the ballot? Ballot style—determined by counties

Other Election Types Mayors and city councils Special elections nonpartisan Special elections To fill vacant positions Votes on constitutional amendments Absentee or early voting

Electronic Voting Some counties began using eSlate technology in 2002 Elections in 2002 and 2004—glitches and mistakes, as well as charges of vote tampering Some researchers concerned with fraud potential, No physical ballot produced

Recent Elections in Texas 1994 elections—political realignment favoring Republicans Most significant gains in judiciary Republicans have won all statewide elections since 1994 Governor’s election in 2002 one of sleaziest on record

Election of 2006 Nationally—“throw the Republican rascals out” election Texas—did elect Republicans to all statewide offices Some Democratic gains at local level Negative and misleading campaigning continued

Election of 2008 Nationally—return to power for Democrats Texas—Republicans continued as majority party Some Democratic increases in judiciary, state House of Representatives, local level

Election of 2010 Nationally—gains for Republicans U.S. & Texas House of Representatives Texas—re-election of Governor Rick Perry, gains in Texas House Discussion: what role did national politics and policy play in Texas elections? What role did voter turnout play?